Windmill



3 Sheets-Sheet l. G. B. SNOW.

(No Model.)

WINDMILL.

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G. B. SNOW. WINDMILL.

`Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

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` G. B. SNOW.

` vW1ND1s1r11.L. No. 508,852. Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

Ill.

' UNITED STATES*- PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT B. SNOW, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELGIN POWER AND PUMP COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WIND

WINDMILL.

SPECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,852, dated November 14,1893.

Application fled May 26, 1892.

To @ZZ whom ,it may concern.:

B e 1t known that I, GILBERT B. SNOW, of Elgin, Kane county, Illinois, have invented a 'new and useful Improvement'in Windmills,

of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to make a simple, economicall and efficient windmill; and theinvention consists in the features and coinbinations hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a broken sectional elevation of part of the upper portion of a windmill provided with my v improvements; Fig. 2 a vertical sectional View on line 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 a broken elevation 'ofva portion of the wind wheel showing the connection between the sails and arms; Fig. 4 an enlarged sectional elevation of one of the pivotal sections between the fan and arm portions of the wheel; Fig. 6 an elevation of the tower; Fig. 8 a sectional elevation of the step or bearing for the vertical power shaft which is connected to the horizontal power shaft; Figs. 5, '7, 9 and l0 detail views of parts, Fig. 10 showing the inner portion of one of the iiat'levers used for operating the-sails or fans; and Fig. 11 afplan sectionalelevation showing the position of the .horizontal shaft and wind wheel with reference. to the verti- ,cal shaft or pivotal point of the mill.

A is the tower, and a a vmetallic ring orcap p at thetop thereof; B themain frame having a loose bearing in the ring a; b an outwardlyr extending arm or part thereof, and b a box or bearing therein; O a horizontal shaft, and c a gear on the inner end thereof; D the spider; E flat levers for operating sails or fans; F a sliding head loosely mounted on the shaft C, and provided with arms f; G a step, base or support for the ball bearing, and gthe cap portion thereof 5 H mechanism. for shifting the sails, and h a sleeve or tube connecting the upper end thereof to a rod attached to the bell crank; I a counter shaft mounted above the shaft C, having a pinion 1.' on one end meshing with the gear, and also a beveledgear t" meshing with the beveled pinionj and vertical power'shaft J, and c? boxes or brackets connecting the horizontal shaft and countershaft together; L bearing plates Serial No. 434.416. (No model.)

`bolted to the outer endof the arm of the windmill and supporting theV fan sections through the medium of a plate, Z, to which they are rigidly fastened, Z', a slot in one end of the bearing plate, and Z2 an eye Abolt tting in the arm; M the step plate, base or support for the vertical shaft, mslots therein forming ears, and m a yoke connecting the gearing of the vertical and horizontal shaft; and N braces securing the tower together, and n hooks or turned portions at the lower ends thereof.

The mechanism for shifting thesails of the windwheel is connected at its upper end to a sleeve or tube which passes through the lower bearing of the main frame, and on the upper end of this tube is attached a head from which Ya rod extends upwardly to a bell crank fulcrumed in the arm b of theframe, to one arm of which it is attached. To the other arms of the bell crankI attach bearing rods or links, which connect with a sliding head. As the construction and operation of these parts will be apparent from the drawings, further description thereof is considered unnecessary.

In windmills as heretofore constructed, it has been found difficult to overcome the heavy side draft to which the mill is subjected by reason of the tendency of the upright shaft to twist, which causes the mill to creep and the horizontal shaft to get'out of position with referenceto the course on the wind. In actual operation the torsionon the upright shaft, caused by the resistance of the machinery which it drives, gradually twists the wind wheel out of line or direction of the wind, which results in partial or total loss of power. The first object of my invention is to overcome this objection, which Ido by so I the bearings in the boxes or brackets in such same relative position with reference to each other. In other words,'I form in each of the boxes or brackets a bearing for the horizontal shaft which shall always occupya certain definite and fixed position with reference to the bearing for the counter shaft in the same box or bracket. In ordinary mills, I find it advisable to so place the horizontalv shaft that its inner end shall be off the center about three inches at one side, of the vertical shaft, which passes through the pivotal point of the mill while the outer end bearing the wind wheel is on the center-that is, in line with the direction of the wind andvertical shaft or pivotal pointof the mill. I do this by forming way that when the horizontal and counter shafts are put in place, the former will have its outer end in line with the direction of the wind and vertical. shaft, and its inner end in advance of the vertical shaft in the direction toward which/the mill has a tendency to creep. (See Figs. 2 and 1l.) The result is that the horizontal shaft being thus rigidly set, the mill has a constant tendency to creep into position, and not out of position, with reference to the course of the wind.

In windmills as heretofore constructed, it has been found difficult to make a light and durable connection between the arm and wind wheel,'and there has been no way of taking up the slack caused by wearing away of the bearings.

The second object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty, which I do by making a bearing between the arm and fan, having some or all the following peculiarities: The bearing consists essentially 'of two plates formed with slots, and adapted to be secured by a bolt passing through the slots, the bolt also serving to secure the plates to the arm, inserted between them, by passing through a hole therein. An eye-bolt may be inserted in the lowerend of the arm,and the bolt securing the parts together passed through its eye. This eye-bolt may be provided with screw threads on its lower end, or other means may be employed for producing adjustment. The fan sections are connected to the bearing plates by means of a tilt bar fitting in the bearing thereof. Each end of the tilt bar is provided with a ball, and each bearing plate with a corresponding socket, so that the ends of the tilt bars rest in their beari'n gs after the manner of a ball and socket joint, thus leaving the sections free to adjust themselves to different positions asirequired by varying currents of wind. The socket or bearingsurface itself is preferably large, to increase its durability. When the bearing has become worn, the slackness or wear may be taken up by forcing or moving the bearing plates up by means of a` nut on the lower end of the eye-bolt, or in any other convenient way. As will be seen, this connection between the fan sections and arms is light and durable, and

provides for adjustment in such away as to l take up the wear or slack as desired.

In windmills as heretofore constructed, there has been no way of allowing the step or bearing for the vertical shaft at the lower'end thereof to adjust itself to different positions as required by the slackening or loosening incidental to wear.

The third object of my invention is to overcome this'difliculty, which I do by providing for automatic adjustment of the vertical shaft on the step plate. As the vertical shaft wears down into the step-plate, the yoke and gearing adjust themselves to the changed positlon resulting from wear. I provide for this adjustment by forming the step-plate with upwardly projecting ears, and placing the lower ends of the yoke between the ears. See Figs. 9 and lO. Set screws passing through the ears from either side, see Fig. IO, serve to hold the yoke and gearing steady; but the set screws should not be tightened to an extent that will interfere with the automatic adjustment of the yoke and gearing as required by wear. In this way, I prevent binding resulting'from wear, and secure ready automatic adjustment of the parts mentioned.

It will of course be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to minor features or details of construction, or to the use of all my improvements together in a single windmill. On the contrary, I intend to vary form and construction, and to omit parts or use equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient.

I claiml. In a windmill, a main horizontal shaft having its outer end secured on the center or in line with the direction of the wind and vertical shaft, and its inner end in 'an offcenter position or in advance of the vertical shaft toward the side to which the mill tends to creep, whereby the wind wheel is held in proper position with reference to the wind, substantially as described.

2. In a windmill, the combination of a main horizontal shaft having its outer end secured on the center or in line with the direction of the wind and vertical shaft, and its inner end in an off-center position or in advance of the vertical shaft, a counter shaft, and boxes or brackets securing the two shafts together and having a bearing therein for each, whereby the two shafts are held in fixed position with reference to each other, and the wind wheel in proper position with reference to the wind, substantially as described.

3. In a windmill, theA combination of fan sections each provided with atilt bar having a ball at its respective ends, an. adjustable bearing formed of slotted plates bolted to the arm, each having a socket corresponding to the balls of the tilt bar, the bearing plates being provided with an eye-bolt screwthreaded at its lower end and a nut thereon for taking up slack produced by wear,

IOO

IIO

andlthe tilt. bar andbearing plates beingsep prevented and the yoke andgearingenabled cured togethenbythe balls fitting" into their to adjust themselves' to changed positions rero respective sockets, substantially as described. sulting from wear, substantially as described.

. 4. In a windmill, the combination of a step- 4 5 plate for the vertical shaft at the lower end GILBERT B' SNO thereof, vand a yoke connecting the, gearing Y Witnesses:` A,

and vertical and horizontal shafts loosely se- THOS. EF. SHERIDAN,

cured to the step-plate, whereby binding is EPHRAIM BANNING.. 

